


We Carry On Because of Her Love

by JAhnski



Category: Original Work
Genre: Death, Drama, Drama & Romance, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Family, Family Drama, Food, Grief/Mourning, Modern Royalty, Original Character(s), Original Fiction, POV Original Character, Rating: M, Restaurants, Romance, Royalty, Sasha - Freeform, Sasha Being Sasha, Tragedy/Comedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-12
Updated: 2018-12-12
Packaged: 2019-09-17 02:46:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16966239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JAhnski/pseuds/JAhnski
Summary: Sasha Avella moved back to HillRose to support the family as her mother’s impending death draws near. As Sasha struggles to remain as the binding glue of her family, a young runaway appears and signals a new romantic venture and distraction for the Avella’s. Sasha soon learns the strength of mother’s love and how a grieving family can carry on in the wake of tragedy.





	1. One Second Off

"I don't know Sash…." my father leaned forward his eyebrows knitting together pushing the wire rimmed glasses down even further on his nose. He squinted at the computer attempting to consider my vision.

"Pop, we have to do a complete gut of this place. Steering the HillRose social tourists into these doors is the number 1 priority right now. Half of it is the decor. Your food is amazing, but it starting to be beat down by the competition, all of these kids nowadays are obsessed with social media and if it looks like a hole in wall they aren't even going to stop in." I flipped around my tablet bringing the digital pen to the screen. I clicked on the plus sign starting to open a new page in the software, internally saying goodbye to what I thought is a bulletproof digital model of Hazelnut, my family's cafe and bakery.

My father sighed. "Sasha, I'm not interested in the morning tourists. The community of HillRose has supported generously for the past few decades."

"You have to be open to change. I know Hazelnut is financially stable…" I minimized the designing software now pulling up the yearly financials of the cafe. "...In fact, it's been on an upswing for a while, more than enough money to cover a simple facelift." I placed the tablet down on the table flipping it towards my father.

My father now sat back, his hand went to his forehead. "I know and that financial stability has put all of you and your siblings through university and will probably give all of my grandchildren a head start."

"Exactly. Now should I go contact Murphy and start sourcing the materials? I've already been gathering prices for the renovation and we can do it for half the cost of what I originally showed you."

Now my father laughed "Are you sure you didn't get your education in negotiations? You are starting to steamroll this discussion."

I smiled, "So that's a yes?"

He sighed again, "Alright. We all need a project to distract us."

My smile started to dissipate knowing what he referred to. "Pop…" the lump in my throat started to rise, constricting my voice. I couldn't think of anything except for "...Mom will love it. A lot of the things you saw in the design is her vision. I just put the finishing touches on it."

"I just hope she is still here to see it." My older sister slammed down a pile of plates.

"Your such an asshole, Pheenie." my younger brother Nox looked up from his mobile phone. He also sat with my father and I, but had become engrossed in a video game. Nox was my prime example of young adults involved in social media and the relevance of aesthetic in their lives.

"Ugh, you don't have any right to call me an asshole. You are sitting there on that stupid game, swinging some axe dressed up in a gingerbread costume. You're so Noxious."

_"Oh boy here we go"._ Every time Pheenie used Nox's derogatory nickname it became fighting words. As predicted Nox put down his phone and the screaming match began. Fortunately, Hazelnut was closed between the hours of 2pm -5pm to the general public. My father did allow some of our steadfast customers come in for coffee and cake who were used to the Avella Family's screaming match. The usual digs came quicker due to our rising tensions. Pheenie would dig into Nox for quitting university and compare how he leeched off of me to design the artwork thumbnails for his videos. Nox would then counter how he was twenty one years old making more money than Pheenie did and she was just a homemaker working at her parent's cafe because she had nothing better to do.

I looked down at my watch the seconds ticking by waiting for that moment when my father snapped.  _"5….4...3...2.."_

"Phoenix and Lennox!" my father screamed, pushing away the chair away from the table as he stood.

_"Rats, one second off."_ The thought danced in my mind. Next time I would get it right on the mark. I looked up to see a tears streaming down my father's cheeks. The shock rattled through me and the two of my four siblings who were in the cafe today. Silence lingered as my father cried.

A knot formed in his throat as did one in mine as he attempted to compose himself. "I know you two are taking your grief out on one another right now, but you need to stop. This can't go on for much longer. We need to stay united as a family during this time. Your mother has such a short time left with us and I cannot have any more arguments."

The sobering effect of my father's words reached us. Mom had been diagnosed with cancer. She had been given six months to a year to live out the rest of her life. It is the main reason I have been so involved in the family business for the past couple of months. I gave up my wanderlust to stay put in HillRose. Though gave up is a strange term. The moment my father told me about Mom an incredible need to move back to my family washed over me. No matter where we all went, we were so close a tight knit and unbreakable family even if we always frayed each other's nerves.. At the end of the day we became even closer since Mom's diagnosis.

"Pop."

"Nox." I said in response to his attempt to apologize to our father. My younger brother turned his attention towards me as I shook my head not to engage any further and to instead soak in our father's wishes for no more arguments.

My older sister had another idea by slamming silverware onto the plates she previously forced onto the table. "Always the favorite." Pheenie's venom reached me as she turned on her heel and walked into the doorway that led towards the kitchen.

I did not respond. Mom's diagnoses had been hard on all of my siblings and would continue to be in my presence. While my siblings all had a mix of both of my parent's physical features, I alone, looked exactly like my mother. Before her diagnosis, the regulars of Hazelnut would always remark we were twins. Granted, I was the 25 year old version while my mother suddenly aged to 48. Pheenie took it particularly hard throughout our childhood and well into our adulthood. Although she was the second oldest out of five, she acted simultaneously like the baby and middle child of the family. And it can be imagined that when I, Sasha, had been deemed the carrier of our mother's endless beauty (the locals of HillRose always said so), Pheenie imagined herself in an endless outstretched manner trying to keep up with her younger sister.

There is another reason Pheenie called me the favorite. I had grown up as the middle child, sandwich between two older siblings and two younger ones. Yet, the middle child syndrome read about in psychological textbooks never touched me. I excelled in everything I did. My father once slipped in an argument letting it be known that him and Mom would not need to ever worry about me. Pheenie interpreted this as "Sasha is the favorite. Dad and Mom said so."

"When is Sawyer coming in? We really need backup today since we have the food critic prep." one of Hazelnut's employees, our honorary Auntie we called her, broke into my thoughts as she tied the apron around her waist. She directed her question towards my father.

"Oh, is that tonight?" my father seemed out of sorts.

"Auntie." I jumped up taking my tablet in hand. I tapped a few times to pull up my master schedule. "Sawyer will be here within the hour. He is picking up the boys from school with Mom. Can I assist with anything in the meantime?"

"Didn't you come up with new recettes for the critic that you need to focus on?"

An audible groan came from the back of the kitchen.

"Just ignore her." Auntie spoke. The case for me not being the favorite child was wearing thin.

"Yeah screw her Sash. She is JUST MAD SHE CAN'T EVEN MAKE A BEIGNET!" Nox raised his voice so Pheenie could hear him in the back.

"Nox" I warned.

Nox put down his cell phone slipping it into his pocket "Auntie, I'll help with the basic prep."

"Alright. Let's get going. I know you are decent at potato peeling. Maria! Mr. Gites needs a refill!" Auntie motioned towards the midday server on shift.

With the attention focused elsewhere I glimpsed at my father from the corner of my eye as I gazed at the wall decorations.  _"When did he get older? The years of raising us took a toll."_

"Pop?" I asked.

"Sasha?"

"When did you get so old?"

He started laughing. His laugh from before mom was diagnosed finally rang out. "The moment you became my favorite child."

While I got my mother's looks, I got my father's understanding and steadfastness in the face of adversity. I always knew Pheenie never quite understood me. Just like both of my parents, I worked hard to achieve everything that seemed to come naturally.

A message popped up on my tablet catching my attention. I tapped the blue message bubble and read:

_Mom had to go to the hospital. Don't tell anyone, but dad. - S_

I bit down on my lip and looked up. Pop knew since I looked like my mother he had seen the worried expression on her face a million times.

"Sasha, tell Auntie to reschedule the food critic prep. Last thing I need is a bunch of waspy hounds at my door tonight."

He immediately went to the office, gathering his keys. I could not look at the message my older brother Sawyer had sent. My heart knew that Mom wasn't going anywhere tonight or else he would have called on me first to be with her in the final moments. Still my heart became heavy with dread.

"Where did your father go?" Auntie came through the kitchen doors. Her hair pasted in all directions on her sweaty face.

"Auntie." To throw her off the trail, I made a fist in the air dragging it to my side. "I don't need to practice the new recette's they are ready. Hazelnut will earn its second star in no time."

"Well, well. Look who came ready to play. You're the daughter of two Careme Award Winning Chefs for a reason."

My feigned optimism seeped into the rest of the Hazelnut staff that night and for that I was glad. After a grueling few hours of preparation, precise attention to detail, and the skill of the sous chefs my parents and brother had trained we made it through the pre-critics night. Hazelnut cafe as coined by the locals of HillRose was more than a cafe. It had been an established haute, cutting edge, establishment by the outside world. Rightfully so. My parents had been two Careme Chefs, the highest of awards given in the culinary world. Well… there is one award higher, but that is equivalent to the fight club of awards. Only four people have earned it in the eighty year existence.

My oldest sibling, Sawyer, is also a Careme chef and I as his younger sister support him by challenging him in culinary creativity. My interest in the culinary world, however, was never to be a gilded master. I chose design, art, creating my own masterpieces without the need to pleasure an insatiable mass. This new world is very translatable to food, but it takes the skill of Sawyer, coupled with my genius to make it work. This isn't to say Sawyer is not creative. I've lost more cooking battles than I have won against him as sometimes my ideas can be a little too creative. I work best when making the recettes, testing them with the staff, and then working the pass.

"Sis. Dad sent a message and he is coming home with Mom tonight. Wylie is coming home tonight since its Friday, so we will all be up for another few hours." Sawyer came up behind me as I wiped down the kitchen with the rest of the staff.

"You can go on ahead. I'll just be another few minutes then I need to stop at the convenience store." my fingers dug into the cloth scraping against the metal tables.

"Sis." Sawyer placed his hand on my shoulder. "Don't stay at Bloom for too long. It's cold out."

He knew me better than I knew myself sometimes. Tonight, I would wander into the convenience store, grabbing cheap beer, and having a drink at Bloom Park nearby my parent's house. A long standing tradition of HillRose mainly occupied by high school seniors or young university students coming home from break.

"I'll be home before you know it."

After finishing the cleaning duties with the rest of the staff, I locked up Hazelnut and went to the convenience store. Afterwards I found my favorite bench in Bloom Park and cracked open a beer. It is cold tonight just as Sawyer had said. I did not shiver though. The beer in the refrigerator units had been cleared out and I had been left with the unstocked, warm alcohol in the back. The warm liquid kept me at the right temperature, especially after the third one. I crunched the can and tossed it towards the trash can. I missed.

"You never miss. Something on your mind?" her voice wrapped around the bench as she took a seat next to me. I could also smell the musky herb wafting through the air.

"Mom." her paleness became frightening. "You need to go back inside it so cold out here you will catch pneumonia and…"

She held up her hand to signal for me to stop talking. A big puff of smoke exhaled from her lungs. "Sash. The cold isn't going to kill me and if it did I would rather my last moment be with you drinking this cheap beer and smoking." Her gloved grasped one of my remaining cans. She seemed so weak and pathetic lifting it to her lap and snapping back the tab. The escape of carbonated shittyness went into the air as Mom lifted the can to her lips.

"Ah now that tastes awful." She smiled leaning back. "Your damned sister won't let me have anything like this. It's - Eat this mummy it has restorative antioxidants. Don't drink that Mummy your going to cramp your system.- Oh, Sasha I'm going to eat pizza topped with caviar and mix it with $8 vodka. I hope they have that for where I'm going."

"Mom…." The tears started to push against my eyes. I could barely take anymore of this, but the last thing I needed was to cry in front of my dying mother. No good would come from wailing in the sorrow. "...Pass the joint." She smiled passing me the paper roll. I placed my lips on the end, inhaling, holding it to a count of ten, then breathing out. The buzz started.

"Sash. I can't talk to anyone, but you. Your siblings get to emotional and your father he… well he just can't face it right now."

"Mom." a lump in my throat formed, but I beat it down. "They can't imagine their lives without you. Sometimes I do.. It's sad and I want to cry. I keep asking for more and more time. I keep searching my mind for that last image of you that I want to hold onto."

"Oh, honey." she nudged my arm motioning for me to lean on her. I did so that my head now rested on her shoulder as she cradled me. "You have always been my protector, my saving grace. Your siblings aren't going to take this well when the time comes. Sasha…" She started to choke up "...I need you to take my place when I'm gone just to pick up the pieces for a little while. It's selfish of me to ask, but I know only you are strong enough to keep this family together."

I removed my head from her shoulder, feeling a calmness wash over my mind. Our eyes met and our minds connected to realize the almost perfect reflection. Mom continued now bringing her free hand to cup my cheek. "You received the best gift we could have given you."

"Ahna, Sasha." my father cut in. My mother and I turned to see my father underneath a near lamp post waiting.

"Sorry, darling I know I shouldn't be walking by myself." Mom stood up, but before she walked away she placed her hands on both of my shoulders and leaned down to kiss me on my forehead.

I closed my eyes, inhaling the scene. Coming from a family of chefs my siblings and I were trained long ago to use our sense of smell to develop knowledge. A true chef could smell before he or she could taste. This scene tonight became like sugar with a touch of colors on the outside edges. The sugar sifted together in an ombre effect moving to pure white the epicenter which is my mother and I. I could smell the light sweetness.

"Sasha." She said with a gentle voice. "You will carry on with this love."

Mom broke away, exhaling into the cold of the night and walked towards my father. He held out his own gloved hand and she placed hers in his company.

"Sash, don't stay out to late."

"I won't Pop. Just a few more minutes."

My parents walked down the path that led to a brightly lit street. They walked arm in arm, Mom leaning her head on Dad's shoulder. They swayed gently underneath the light of the lampposts. A slow walk, the beginning of something new. Dad must have something for Mom took her head off his shoulder and smiled. My heart stopped. This moment. This memory. I will keep forever.

"But will it be enough?" I said aloud.

"What will be enough?"

The tingles reached deep into my nervous system causing a jump. My heart stopped again for a second time. I made a half scream and jerked my body away. A young girl somewhere in-between 9 -12 had a kept stance. She was dressed unusually. Fur from her Romanoff styled hat all the way down to the gilded buckled boots. Her blonde curls long and shiny offsetting her doll like features.

"Who is that lady?" she demanded.

"What? That lady?"

"The one who kissed your head." she scrunched up her nose. "It smells funny around here."

"Ah Ha." I meekly laughed addressing her questions. "That lady was my mother and as for the smell…."  _Oh boy a little girl like this probably doesn't know what that was, she only saw something that looked like a cigarette_  "... a skunk or something."

There is an unnerving energy coming from this girl. She placed her hands on her hips seemingly satisfied and unsatisfied with the answers. Which reaction belong with which answer, I could not tell. Then it struck me.

"Are you lost? It's a little late to be here by yourself." I moved my sleeve to look at the time.

"Hmph. I go where I want, when I want." She tossed her hair behind her shoulder.

"That's doubtful." I scoffed under my breath.

"So why did that lady kiss you?"

"Huh?"

"I said why did she give you a kiss?" her cheeks started to turn a darker pink as the tone of her voice started to edge with anger.

"She is my Mom. Wouldn't it be weird if she didn't show affection?... Besides why am I even having this conversation with you. It's late and you should probably go home." I said the last part more for myself.

The girl seemed lost in thought. I sighed "What's your name? I know everyone here so I can probably find your house."

She broke out of thought. "Hmph". Her stance changed. One foot behind the other, a fist coming up to her heart. A look of regality surrounded her.

" I am Alexandra Aquite Marine Charlotte Olivia…"

"Ok, ok, ok" I cut her off now standing up. "I can see you don't want to tell me your name. So which one do you want to be called?"

Her mouth hung open, but she recovered quickly. "The first name I go by is Alexandra."

"Ok Alexandra. How old are you and what are you doing out here by yourself?"

"I will be turning ten years old in a couple of months and…" she stopped.

"And what? Where are your parents?" I pushed.

"I have no parents!" She screamed and squatted so deeply. Her hands went to her fur hat as she started to repeat "I have no parents! I have no Father" I have no Mother!"

_"Fucking Khristos."_ I glanced from side to side, hoping it was Nox just playing a prank on me for views on his video channel. No such luck it seemed.

"Alright, Alright." I also squatted down, placing my hand on her fur hat. I started to rub her head, something Pop always did to calm us down. "Ok Alexandra. If you don't have any…" I cringed not wanting another outburst for using the word parents "... guardians, then where did you come from and more importantly where are you going?"

There were some sniffles eminitating from under the fur hat. "My house."

"Ok… and where are you going?"

"I don't know. I just wanted to go away."

"Hmmmm… sounds like you are a runaway."

"Runaway?" she looked up.

I smiled. "Yeah it happens a lot to kids your age." The memories of all the times Mom and Pop would have to go out looking for Pheenie after she threw a dramatic fit and started packing up her supplies of a pair of socks and some bread. One time she even tried to steal the reserved pure pressed truffle oil claiming it would bring in a lot of money if she got stuck on the road.

I shook the memory from my head now trying to focus on how to best solve the problem squatting in front of me.  _"Well the few times Pheenie did run away she usually ended up staying at a friend's house for the night to cool off. Maybe then I can find out who she is and alert her family or even her guardians. She did say she has a house so she can't be from an orphanage… maybe a foster family."_ Even the idea of a foster family did not seem right. As close as I was and touching her hat, I started to realize the outer outfit she wore had been made from real fur. I needed a test.

"Alexandra. What fur is your coat and hat made out of?"

"Hmmm?" She looked up the small face of determination from moments ago made another appearance. "Can't you tell?" her voice stern and almost in disbelief. "It's Frachion Golden Fox. Directly sourced from the Alps."

"Frachion…." that name rang a bell. _"Now that I think about it, didn't Sawyer serve some fancy designer…."_

Thought interrupted. "What are you going to steal it? You look like you would especially with that ratty sweater and ugly army coat. Are you a plebeian?"

"What did you just say? That must be a dare!" I reached out for her hat and snatched it away. After grabbing it I stood up and started to run the cold wind seeping into my lungs.  _"Well maybe not the best idea, but she should follow me back to the house. She talks like she is the frickin Lady Queen."_

"Come and get it Lexi!" I screamed. "My dirty plebeian fingers are getting all over your Franken fur hat."

"It's Franchion! And my name is Alexandra!" she screamed back starting to pick up speed.

I continued to run the short way back to my house with Alexandra behind me. I started to laugh as the air burned into my lungs.  _"At least I know she will be safe tonight. Then tomorrow morning I will bring her back to her house. Easy peasy con frite."_

Little did I know at that time, watching from a blacked out SUV a man stated into a transceiver "Eyes on the little Sparrow. She is following one of the Avella children." The static cracked for a few minutes when a response came through, "Ma'dam D'Rose says to not make any moves, but stay with them. She will collect Sparrow in the morning. Over and out."

"Roger", the man said and turned on his vehicle to follow Alexandra as she made her to way to Sasha Avella's house.


	2. Contessa of HillRose

Chapter 2: Countessa of HillRose

“Come on in. Shoes off, please.” 

Sasha stepped on the heel of her left sneaker and repeated the process with her now socked foot. While simultaneously removing her shoes and slipping into house shoes she removed her coat. All the while, Alexandra (Lexi) squatted down beginning to undo the laces on her boots.

The house tonight is noisy. I could hear the voices of my family and even the squeals of my nephews and nieces no doubt fighting over whose turn it was to use the tablet. Right on cue, Sawyer shouted at his twins to let Pheenie’s youngest daughter have a chance at the game pad and for the rest of them to go outside. Beyond that, the television had been blaring and the smells of a feast for hundreds wafted throughout the bottom of the house. 

I made the one step up from the shoe area and glanced over my shoulder to see Alexandra’s pompous attitude suddenly glaze over with a touch of apprehension. I reached behind “Your coat. I’ll hang it up in the closet instead of the rack”. She handed over her fur coat and hat revealing a long sleeved, baby blue, embroidered dress, more elegant than the fur coat. Now she had me questioning who exactly this little girl is. After claiming she did not have any parents and by the expensive clothes she could not be living in a foster home. More than likely she had a wealthy grandparent. 

“Who’s that?” my eldest niece peaked around the corner of the room that led to the main gathering. Behind her, only slightly taller, where my twin nephews caught with a very curious look. 

“This is Lexi.”

“Alexandra.” her defiant attitude returned with crossed arms and an audible “hmph”. 

“I mean...Alexandra.” I corrected myself. 

Pushing the closet door to a close, my niece usually not very shy, became wide eyed and moved closer to us. “Auntie Sash? Mom wanted to speak to you in the kitchen.” 

“Ok.” I squatted down, holding my arms out wide. 

She ran into my embrace as I hugged her tightly. I whispered into her ear “The left pocket of my coat has something sweet in there for you. Make sure to share with your cousins and don’t tell your Mom.” I kissed her temple. She pulled away with a giggle about our running secret. 

“Lexi, let’s go up to my bedroom and figure out the pajama situation.” I stood up motioning behind me for her to follow. 

She silently padded behind me with her snow white tights muffling the steps. My niece and nephews said a quick hello to Alexandra, but were more concerned with raiding my coat for the sweets I had brought them. My sister, Pheenie, could wait for our discussion. I could only imagine how she would lace into me about keeping Mom out in the cold. No doubt she could smell the herbs on Mom and Dad as they entered the house, another odd source of contention. We made it to the top of the stairs and went down the hall to the second door on the left where my childhood bedroom remained. I opened the door, switching on the lights to see it left perfectly intact from this morning.Next going straight for the dresser I dug around for a good shirt for Lexi to sleep in. I would have to do some extra digging in Wylie’s dresser as she is much shorter than I. Certainly Wylie’s pajama bottoms would be far more suited for little Lexi. 

“Hm. I think this will work.” I threw a t-shirt onto the bed then proceeded to dig in Wylie’s dresser. Clothes flying everywhere. Out of the corner of my eye I caught a glance of Lexi looking at the pictures on my nightstand. 

“You look exactly like your mother.” her voice quiet. 

I froze. Then resumed the digging to find a pair of short floral pajamas. The tone of her voice had caught me off guard as it had been laced with sorrow. Something a nine year old should never have. 

“Maybe…”

“Sis, what are you doing?” my thought interrupted by Nox standing at the entrance way. 

“Oh we have a visitor staying with us tonight.” I motioned at my bed. Nox stepped into the room his initial view blocked by another tall dresser. 

“Um” he said as he looked at Lexi who looked up at him. A sound of annoyance, puffing of air, escaped her lips and she looked towards the window. “...ok. Well Dad is getting a bit out of hand. Albie and Sawyer are beating him by 60 marks and Pheenie basically just quit, so he needs you to replace her.” 

“60?! You’re right Dad does need my help.” I thought for a second “Why doesn’t Dad ask you?”

“Albie knows I’m too good and he will be loosing by 60 marks. You’re the great equalizer Sash.” 

I started to laugh, “I don’t know about that. What about Mom or Wylie?” 

“Mom and Wy are sleeping in Mom’s room.”

I glanced at Lexi still gazing out the window. “Here Lexi, put these pajamas on in the bathroom and then I’ll teach you how to play Texas 42.” I stood up and threw the fake silky bottoms onto the bed. I moved in now gently taking the picture of my Mom and I from her hands. 

“Texas 42?” she repeated. 

“Yep. You’ll be amazed at how a grown man can cry.” I reached down to pat her hair. A natural lovingly instinct, one that Nox, Wylie, and my nieces/nephews received. An unexpected reaction from Alexandra made me retract. She jerked her head back so hard her elbows fell into the bed. Her eyes naturally closed, but when she opened them they seemed to be filled with panic. 

“What are you doing?! Why were you going to hit me?!” her voice, uneven, matching the rise of panic in her eyes.

“Hit you? Sash wasn’t going to…” 

“Nox” I interrupted him. “Go downstairs and tell Pop I’ll be right there.”

“Sash…”

“Go. We will be down in a minute.”

Nox looked at me then at Lexi, he acknowledge my wish and removed himself from the room. 

“Ah” I sat down in my spot at the foot of the bed and crossed my legs. My elbows rested on my knees. “You know, I’m not going to press Lexi, but if you’re running away from home because someone hurt you, then it’s understandable that..”

“No one hurt me.” she muttered. “I-I just don’t like to be touched.”

“Hmmm what an odd little girl.” 

“Doesn’t your grandmother or grandfather hug you?” 

She did not skip a beat. “Yes Nona hugs me all the time whenever she visits.”

“Alright time to push a bit more”

“Well you saw how I hugged my niece. That’s all I was doing, was patting your head like I do to her. There isn’t anything malicious by it. I bet your father and mother used to hug you all the time. As well as your brother or sister?”

Alexandra did not reply so quickly this time. I had been hoping she would not catch on, but she appeared to be a teenager living in a little girl’s body. Her fingers started to twiddle together in her lap. “I don’t have any siblings. Father doesn’t pat my head or hug me since my mother died.”

I tried my best to keep my face neutral. “Fuck, I went too far.” I watched as the tears started to form, but pretended like I didn’t notice. I placed my hand on the ground, pushing myself to stand up. “Well Lexi..” I leaned down so that our foreheads were close “... I won’t touch you, but if you ever want a hug, I’m here to give one.” a cheesy smile formed underneath my cheeks and winked as her eyes went wide once again. 

A puff and huff escaped her “You’re so weird.” 

“Weird. Huh? If you think I’m weird wait until you meet the rest of my family. With that said..” I stood straight removing myself from a bent position “...Use the bathroom to change, then come downstairs. I heard your stomach rumbling a few minutes ago so you must be hungry.”

 

“I am not!” she insisted. 

I turned leaving the room and waving my hand back “Oh-ho! I may tell everyone to eat the Mango drizzled Vacherin*”. The sounds of her feet shuffling across the wood were heard as the door closed behind me.

“Gets them everytime.”

“Sash?” my younger sister called out gently from down the hallway. Her hand rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she exited my parent’s bedroom. “What’s all the noise?”

“Just a visitor tonight, she is staying in our room.”

“A visitor?” the tiredness exuded from her. A dreamy and almost sleep-walking sister I had on my hands. She walked slowly into me and wrapped her arms around my back. I followed her lead placing my arms around her neck to rest on her shoulders. Wylie is the shortest of us all standing at 154cm. My taller stature suited my status well. 

“Is Mom asleep?” 

“Yeah.” she breathed in deep squeezing me tighter. 

“Go back to sleep with Mom. Our little visitor will need to use your bed tonight.”

“Should I even ask?”

“No, better not.” 

“Ok. Night Sash.”

We released each from our own embrace. To me, Wylie’s hug felt desperate as her fingers clung to the back of my shirt. When the time would come for our mother to pass on, it is her I worried the most about. Pheenie would deal with grief vocally. Sawyer and Nox were both boys and while it would hurt them just as much, but they could endure. Wylie, the youngest, had the least time with our mother. She had always been the most reserved, the least outspoken and that worried me in a family full of hard headed and sometimes insensitive individuals. Wylie also had been away at University and came home every weekend in order to spend time with us. A tinge of pain ran through my heart for my sister as my other siblings and I did not have a care in the world at this critical time in our young adulthood. 

My sister had already returned to my parent’s room as these thoughts went through my mind. I carefully stepped down the stairs and slipped into my house shoes. I looked up as I heard Lexi slowly moving down the stairs. 

“Alright, here are some visitor slippers to wear in the house. Then let’s get some food in you.”

“Food? I am quite alright.” Lexi’s pompous voice rose. 

I could not contain myself and started to laugh, holding my hands across my belly. Whenever she talked I pictured an old, white haired lady wrapped in crushed velvet and a ridiculous hat, petting her prize show cat. 

“What?” Alexandra’s expression soured. 

“Oh-ho! Nothing. Well if you don’t want food. I will give you that dessert I promised. C’mon follow me.” A glimmer of excitement returned to her eyes, softening her features. 

We made our way to the boisterous kitchen, unnoticed, as my father, brothers, and brother-in-law swore over the table littered with cards and platters of tapas. My youngest niece, Amethyst, rested on the hips of my sister, Pheenie. She squealed as I entered the room and held out her hands in a grabbing motion. I swooped in relieving my sister of her daughter.

“Who is the favorite?” I cooed at Amethyst, her one year old babbling picked up.   
My sister, did not even look up from the finance ledgers spread across the table, but she did take a seat. Her long, straight nose barely held the bright red glasses that fought at the tip from sliding all the way down. No reaction from comment made me lift my eyebrows and smirk at Lexi. She did not seem to quite get the humour or the reason for my jab. Instead she gave a few quick blinks. 

“Sasha, the Cairns is overbudget for this year. I received an invoice for over $10,000?!” 

“Yes, Cairns was for lamb and goat order. We needed it for the White Slipper party a few months ago that Sawyer headed. The Rose’s should have reimbursed us by now. You sure that isn’t just our documentation?” I leaned on the counter looking down at the ledger’s with Pheenie. 

“No, it’s definitely an invoice!” she picked up the paper and shoved it in my face. 

I snatched it away, “Ok, ok. I’ll call the accountant in the morning to make sure he didn’t receive anything.”

“Antionette Carlas wore a Marchella dress for that party. She was so elegant.” Lexi broke into our conversation. Her voice sounded dreamy. A pleasant dream. 

My sister now saw Lexi. “What? Who are you?!” She pointed at her rudely then looked confused at me. Her outrageous reaction had caused me to roll my eyes. 

“I am Alexandra Aquite Marine Charlotte…”

“Ok. Ok.” I interrupted. I leaned down whispering in Pheenie’s ear “She makes up a bunch of names. Just call her Lexi.”

“I do not!” Lexi stomped her foot and with bunched up fists, began to swelter towards a high anger level. “That is my name, Alexandra Aquite..”

“Ai! Sash bring us more beer, but hold off on Albie! His luck is finally turning!” Sawyer called across the kitchen. 

“Ok, ok.” my new favorite phrase. “Here.” I handed off Amethyst to her mother and then went about my duties of bringing out the dessert I had promised, along with the beers to the men. 

It might as well have been the sound of a jackhammer. The dessert fridge releasing its rubber seal brought a unique sound and the crowd of the rest of my nieces and nephews. The perfect shade of tangerine intermixed with apricot shown through as I removed the first slice of Mango Vacharin and promptly placed it on a plate. Pheenie slid the first slice onto the kitchen island and when my eldest nephew (by only a couple of minutes), reached for it, she slapped his hand.   
“Now, now, Finn, what are the Avella house rules?” 

“Auntie Pheenie is being mean again, Dad!” he cried out towards his dad. 

“Listen to your Auntie.” Sawyer not really paying attention answered back. “Damnit!” he threw his cards across the table. 

“Sawyer! Don’t swear in front of the children!” Pheenie screamed. 

I could tell Sawyer had sent a silent message across the table at Pheenie’s husband, telling him to shut her up. Albie shrugged “She’s your blood.”

“What the fuck did you just say!!” Pheenie screamed again, she picked up the plate of cake about to throw it across the room.

“Woah! Calm down.” I could barely hold in a laugh. 

“Shut up Sash!” Pheenie now moved around the kitchen island towards the men playing cards. “All you ever do is calm down this, calm down that. I will not calm down!” 

Nox made the mistake of laughing. “And you!” Pheenie turned his attention towards him “You are the worst! You’re in your own little made up virtual world.” 

Knowing there had been nothing I could possibly do to remedy the situation, I began cutting the rest of the cake. What ensued for the next 20 minutes had been #1, Pheenie throwing the cake to hit Nox in the face, #2 Nox dodging and the cake accidently hitting my second youngest nephew, #3 a combination of my cake splattered nephew crying, arguing between Nox, Sawyer, Albie, and Pheenie, #4, I can’t say for sure, but one of my siblings got choked, #5 Lexi sitting there eating her cake, seemingly enjoying the scene as I stood behind the kitchen island more so enthralled at the bliss that washed over her face upon the first bite. 

Pop, had cashed in his cards a few minutes after the chaos ensued to go relax in the living room. After the fifth or possibly tenth plate had been broken I ushered all the small children and Lexi into the non chaotic room. Pop had not been there so I turned on the T.V. and began collecting blankets so that they could make a pillow fort. Upon my search for more blankets I peaked into Pop’s office. His door slightly ajar and the lights dimmed low. I could see him laying on the sofa, arm dangling off, and his breathing heavy. 

The door, light, gave easily without any creaks. I stepped carefully into the office, filled to the brim with books and other heirlooms. Mostly knicks knacks with no fiscal value, but always a nostalgic. One blanket remained draped across the back of the sofa and I removed it splaying it over my father. 

“Ahna.” his fingers twitched.

I dropped down on my knees. “Pop” I tried to hold back the sorrow in the strangulation of my words. I gently touched his fingers to which he replied by grasping my hand and moving it to his chest. 

“Pop. I’m here.” 

A long release of breath and a stir caused him to start up his consciousness. “Sash.” 

“Wy and Mom are sleeping.” I had to remind him that she is ok and not going anywhere tonight. I could tell he had been having nightmares. As I touched his forehead, the claminess and sweat entered my senses. 

“I lost both of you.” he whispered. 

“Pop, you’ll go long before me. I’m the one who has to worry about losing you.” I laid my head on his chest. 

He started to wake up more now, but still had a heaviness attached to his eyelids. “You’ve always been one of our greatest gifts to this world.” his gentle touch through my tight curls brought a memory back to place of all the times we fell asleep on the sofa, watching a princess movie for the thousandth time. “It’s going to be hard on me, Sash... when your mother leaves us.”

“Mom transferred enough into my account to keep me gone for six months.” 

Pop’s eyes started to tear. “I’m sorry, Sash. I know it isn’t fair.” 

“It’s ok. If this is what I can do to help everyone, then so be it.”

“Sash.” My Pop started to move and wrapped his arms around my shoulders pulling me in close for a hug. 

Mom and I both knew it would be hard for the rest of the family to see me for some time as I had been her spitting image. The plan is for when she passes away, I will leave, jetsetting to the small list of countries I had yet to explore. Only my parents and I were aware of the plan. In the near future my mom would tell them all individually and if my siblings wanted to join me in the country of my choosing, they were more than welcome. 

“I know it’s selfish.”

I hugged my Pop tight. “I wouldn’t consider it selfish. I’ve already made plans with Uncle Markus. He has been practically begging me to come for the past year and work with him on his new secret project.” 

“Secret project?” Pop gently pushed away from our embrace.

“Well it’s secret, even from me, so I don’t really know the details.”

Pop sighed, “Just don’t let him take credit for any of your skills, he has been trying to get his hands on you for far longer than a year. And Sash?”

“Yeah?”

“Be careful.”

“Be careful.” I started to laugh. “That’s an interesting thing to say.”

“If you’re going to walk the path of your mother and I, its going to be different for you than it was for us and Sawyer?”

“Different? How?”

My question had been left on a cliffhanger. My nephew came wandering into the office, declaring that injuries from pillows had been issued. Pop and I went into the living room to control the chaos as we past by the staircase, Lexi had been perched with her head in her hands, looking at the door. 

“Hm.” is all Pop said glancing at Lexi. 

I had been glad he did not ask questions. 

“Alright Lex ready to sleep?”

“Yeah.” had been all she said. Seemingly defeated by something that had occurred while I was away. 

Our night ended without much conversation. Lexi brushed her teeth with a spare toothbrush and I after her. When I came back into my room she had already taken Wylie’s bed and tucked under the covers. I placed a glass of water on her nightstand then turned off the lights slipping into my own place to rest for the night. 

Five minutes went by, when I heard a soft shuffle across the ground. My blankets peeled partially away from my body. That is when I felt the mattress sink and her arm draped on my side. I did not know what this meant, but I wrapped around her shoulders pulling her into a warm hug, one I don’t think Lexi had in a while. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning I woke, hot and thirsty. Lexi had still been in my bed, but turned to the other side facing away. I made the move to scuttle slowly towards the end without waking her. Today I would have to pry a bit more and make sure she would be safely returned to her family. The first thing would be checking the morning news to see if anyone reported a missing girl facing her description. 

After using the bathroom and brushing my teeth I made my way downstairs and into the kitchen. The smell of our freshly imported coffee would be enough to jar anyone awake at the first drop. Not paying attention to the people in the kitchen (usually its one of my parents and siblings, talking about the morning headlines) I proceeded to pour my cup. A hint of Cairns fresh cream would do the trick. I turned around about to take a sip of the earthy liquid when I froze the mug almost to my lips. 

In front of me, my Mom and Pop on either side of the small kitchen table, with one elderly woman dressed far richer than I could even imagine. 

“Sasha.” Mom made eye contact.

“Oh, Ahna, she is perfect.” the elderly woman spoke, her voice draped with regality, but also hinted towards a grandmotherly love.”

“As we’ve said I don’t know if Sasha will be fit for that role.” Pop interrupted. 

“Fit for what role?” I thought. 

“Jacob, she will be perfect. I can see she is exactly like Ahna.”

“Mom, Pop, can you fill me in?”

Before they could answer a high shriek entered the kitchen, “Grandma’ma! What are you doing here?” Lexi seemed stunned. 

“Alexandra. That was quite naughty of you to run away yesterday.”

“Naughty?” as I sipped my coffee the thought overtook me at how more than naughty it had been. I started to choke and turned around to spit into the sink.   
“I’m not going home!” she shouted and stomped her foot. 

 

“Oh and why is that Alexandra?”

“I…..I” she stumbled not having a good enough excuse. 

“Ma’dam Rose. Perhaps Alexandra can clean up and have some breakfast before you take her home.” Mom interjected. 

“Ma’dam Rose?” I looked up from the sink in sudden horror and turning around so quickly the guest at the table and my parents both looked at me. 

I then looked at Lexi and the unsuredness of reuniting with her grandmother melted away by the smirk that started to develop. “My great-grandmother is Charlotte Rose, governing Countessa of HillRose and cousin to the Queen of Pavaya.”

“Pleased to meet you Sasha Avella.” 

Ma’dam Rose smiled at me then proceeded to drink the coffee all the while sitting between my parents.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> END NOTE: Thanks for reading Chapter 2!
> 
> *Vacharin is a French dessert with layered meringue and typically served with fruit on top. In this story, it is Pheenie’s husband’s [Albie] favorite dessert. I can imagine it being more akin to a lighter cheesecake. 
> 
> [-] Check out my profile as my first “publication”, Throw the Window Open already has a juicy 48k words in the Romance category. “Due to the after effects of a plane crash, Claire Bricet has lost all of her prior memories. Just as she is beginning to adjust, a sexy and mysterious stranger enters the house ravishing her in the middle of the night. Over the next few months Claire discovers who she was and the path she has chosen leads her towards a bright life that she will never want to forgot.” Rated M for Mature. Some chapters contains explicit adult content. Appropriate warnings at beginning of chapters.

**Author's Note:**

> END NOTE: Thanks for reading Chapter 1! Hope you enjoyed and please leave a comment. Remember, all my stories are first drafts so grammar and sentence structure is not the best it can be! Out of all the ideas I had expected to start writing this was….. Well unexpected, but I’m running with it. I placed this in the Romance category because Sasha will develop a relevant romantic relationship in future chapters. 
> 
> [-] Check out my profile as my first “publication”, Throw the Window Open already has a juicy 48k words in the Romance category. “Due to the after effects of a plane crash, Claire Bricet has lost all of her prior memories. Just as she is beginning to adjust, a sexy and mysterious stranger enters the house ravishing her in the middle of the night. Over the next few months Claire discovers who she was and the path she has chosen leads her towards a bright life that she will never want to forgot.” Rated M for Mature. Some chapters contains explicit adult content. Appropriate warnings at beginning of chapters.


End file.
